Imagine: it’s your best friend’s birthday. She’s one of those people who has everything, but she loves animals. You see an advertisement for goat yoga in Tallahassee, and it has amazing reviews. It’s secluded, peaceful and warm. There’s only one problem. You hate yoga.
This is the position I found myself in around early September. It seemed like the perfect gift and the perfect surprise. I thought my friend would really love it, but I’m not much of a yogi (I’ve attached an unfortunate photo for reference). I have small, thick legs and size DD boobs. My balance isn’t ideal.
I was a little worried about how I might be perceived compared to some more experienced (and more flexible) people. However, I was ready to take the plunge. Milk and Honey Acres, where the outdoor yoga was located, was quite a distance away from where I live. Driving off the highway and into the boondocks, my friend was getting a little suspicious about what this surprise would entail.
When we pulled up, I began to get a little excited. On the lawn in front of a quaint, sunny farmhouse was a goat pen filled to the brim with bleating animals of all shapes and sizes. At a ripe and early 7:30 AM, the sun shone through hanging tree branches and the grass was damp with dew. The air was warm, and the other guests stood around alongside our host having coffee and petting the goats.
As 8 AM rolled around, it was time for us to start. One by one, we were let into the pen with our yoga mats to settle into our spots. Immediately the goats began to hover around us, looking for food. We’d all been handed bags of carrots to feed the goats to keep them interested, and we fed them clumsily as the instructor settled in to begin the session.
When our instructor started the actual yoga section of the morning, my worries about my abilities dissipated completely. There were people of all ages and sizes in our group, all at different skill levels. If there was a position you couldn’t reach or a pose you couldn’t hold, you could always pause to feed the goats (which I did, several times). Everyone was laughing and soaking in the warm air of the morning while gushing over the several baby goats who bounced about. It all felt very casual and fun, not like any other yoga class I had been a part of.
Something I learned from this whole experience is that exercise and fitness aren’t exclusive clubs. They’re things that everyone can do in some capacity, regardless of your skill level or experience. Milk and Honey Acres, alongside our amazing instructor, made me feel like I could actually try yoga again and enjoy it, despite my short legs and wobbly knees. Outside of the actual yoga class, you can never go wrong hanging out with baby goats for an hour.
If you ever feel shame or body envy when trying a challenging form of exercise, just know you aren’t alone. Being out of your element can be super scary, but it can also lead to the most fun experiences. Nothing great in life happens inside your comfort zone.
All photos courtesy of Abby Wright.
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